Game apparatus



Jan. 1925- 1,523,775

c. A. HOWARD ETYAL GAME APPAR XTus Filed Nov. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J Z7 Z6 WITNESSES [N VENTOR Qflbfibzra rd,

ATTORNEYS Jan. 20,1925 f 1,523,775

c. A. HOWARD ETAL GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 192:5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES IN VENTOR 6 A. flozwarfiz,

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ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

1 E ll CLARA A. HOWARD AND JAMES H. HOWARD, QF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

A V. V i k GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed November 24, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARA A. HOWARD and JAMns H. HOWARD, citizens of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, have invented-certain new and useful lmprovements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a game apparatus, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

More specifically, the invention relates to a game apparatus of that type in which a runway is provided and balls or marbles are rolled down the runway to accomplish a desired result.

An object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus of the character described which is of simplified construction and which can be used in the playing of games requiring considerable skill and care on the part of the player in order that the object sought in playing the game may be attained.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of the character described which may be used by one player or by a plurality of players in succession and in competition with one another.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, con

sidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an apparatus embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the apparatus along the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the apparatus along the line 4 lof Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section through the apparatus along the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of Figure 1, and

Figure 7 is a section along the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

An apparatus embodying the invention in the form now preferred by us includes a runway indicated generally 1, which comprises a body consisting of a flat bottom member 2 having vertical side members 3 Serial No. 676,797. r l' i and having a board-like member 4 of less width and length than the bottom superimposed thereon to extend longitudinally thereof midway between the side members 33, the board l: terminating at one end flush with. the corresponding end of the bottom 2 and terminating at its other end short of the second end of the bottom 2, thus defining in conjunction with the sides 33 and the bottom 2 channels 5 which extend along opposite sides of the board member 4 and are merged at one end into a transverse channel 6. The transverse channel 6 is defined by an end wall of the board member 4 in conjunction with an end portion of the bottom 2 and an end member 7 of the runway body. The end member 7' of the runway body may be the upper end portion of an upright supporting member 8 which supports the runway body at one end of the latter. A second upright supporting member 9 supports the runway body adjacent to the opposite end of the latter and is of such height in respect to the level at which the supporting member 8 is attached to the runway body that the runway body will be inclined downwardly slightly toward the end member 7. Obviously, the board member A and the side members 3 may be integral portions of the bottom 2 since the board member 4: is in efiect a relatively raised longitudinally extending middle portion of the bottom which terminates at one end short of the corresponding end of the bot-- tom, as hereinbefore stated.

The board member or relatively raised portion 4 of the runway bottom has a smooth fiat upper face and is provided adjacent to its normally lower end with a vertical opening 10 which extends through the bottom 2 and discharges into a chute 11. The latter is supported at one end against the underside of the bottom 2 by means of a depending transverse member 12 which is attached both to the bottom 2 and to the walls of the chute 11 to extend transversely of the latter and thus serves also as a closure for one end of the chute. The chute 11 extends in underlying relation to the runway body and is downwardly inclined toward its free end as shown. The free end portion of the chute 11 preferably extends through an opening 13 in the upright support 9 and is provided with a lateral outlet 14 in the form of an opening which normally is closed by a slide 15. The

latter is disposed interiorlyof the chute in sliding relation to the side wall of the chute which is provided with the opening 14 and a slide zoperating. handle ltiextends through a slot 17 in the adjacent side wall of the chute and may be conveniently grasped and moved along the slot to uncover the opening 14. A curved edgewise disposed guide strip 18 is disposed within the chute 11 in such position in respect to the opening 14:- that ball rolling down the chute will strike the curved guide member 18 and be deflected by the latter through the opening 14: when the opening 14 is uncovered, the slide 15, of course, preventing movement of the ball through the opening 14- .when the slide member is in position to close the opening 14;.

The opening 10 may have a shallow counterbore .at its upper end receiving a flat ring 19 which may have the upper surface thereof disposed in a plane slightly lower than that of the upper face of the board member 4 so as .to constitute an approach to the opening 10.

The board member 4 has the end wall thereof confront ng the 7 end member 7 beveled or downwardly inclined, as indicated at 20. The bottom 2 is provided with atransversely aligned series of vertical openings 21 located in the bottom of the transverse channel 6 and adjacent to the inclined end of the board member 4. A ball member-rolling from the upper surface of the board member a. down the inclined end wall20 to the bottom of the transverse groove 6 will fall through one of these openings 21. An edgewise disposed curved strip 22 extending transversely of the runway body between the side members 33 and between the series of openings 21 and the end member 7 constitutes a stop and a guide against which balls rolling down the channels 5 will strike andbe deflected to position to fall through one of the openings 21.

The openings 21 discharge into the transversely extending portion 23 of a chute 2+t which is downwardly inclined toward its free end and which extends rearwardly toward the supporting member 9. 'The transversely extending attaching member 12 hereinbefore described as. constituting an end of the chute 11 may also form a side wall of the transverse portion 23 of the second-named chute.

Therunway. body may be provided with a covering strip 2 l which preferably is made of a" foraminous material and which covers the. portion of the body in which the openings 10. and 21 are formed so that access to these openings is prevented while observation of" the openings is permitted. The rear end portion of the chute ll also may have a foraminous cover 25 for the purpose of preventing rcmovalot ball members disposed therein except through. the operation of the slide 15 to uncover the discharge, opening 14.

A starting line 26 extends transversely across thc board member t adjacent to the higher end of the runway body and is inline with blocks 27 which are disposed in the channels 5 between .the side walls of the latter, whereby the portions. of the channels 5 located rearwardly of the starting line arepartitioned from the remaining portions of these channels and may be used as receptacles for the balls or marbles which areused in playing a game with the apparatus in a manner which will now be described.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operatirm thereof may be readily understood. flhe apparatus may be formed as a toy and marbles used as the balls required to play the game. fThe object of the game is to roll. marbles or balls down the inclined relatively raised middle portion. or board member -it of the runwayin such. manner that the marbles or balls will fall through the opening: 10 which may be termed. the winningopening. It will beapparent that extreme care and considerable skill may be excrcisedin rolling the marbles or halls down the runway to attain this object, otherwise. the marbles or balls will eventually bedetlected into one of. the openings 21 which may be termed the losing openings. The marbles or balls falling through the winning opening will pass by gravity along the chute it and will be collected in the closed end portion of the latter. The marbles or balls falling through the losing openings will gravitate alone the chute 232t and may be taken therefrom and placed inithe receptacles QSfor further A prize may be given to the player who has succeeded in rolling the greatest number of marbles in such manner that they fell through the winning opening 1.0 and the number of marbles or balls passing through the wining opening" 10 into the chutehll can be definitely ascertained by manipulating the slide 15 to permit the marbles or balls in the closed lower end of the portion of the chute 11 to more through the outlet 14..

It will be understood that. the chute 2t maylead to any desirable place, as for instance, to a space behind a counter, so that only, the operator of the. device will. have access tothe balls therein and. that this chute-2t might be detachably secured tov the body of the runway in any suitable known manner without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

It also will be apparent that the device may he of a size sufiicient to adapt it for ltltl 1 seems use at carnivals and like places of recreation and that the balls may be of any suitable size for playing the game with an apparatus of any given size.

Obviously, our invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that illustrated in the accompanying drawings and we, therefore, consider as our own all modifications and adaptations of the form of the device herein illustrated and described which may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

l ve claim l. A game apparatus comprising a runway consisting of a body formed with a relatively raised middle portion having a flat upper surface, said body also having channels extending along opposite sides of said relatively raised middle portion and a transverse channel at one end of the relatively raised middle portion, said relatively raised middle portion having a vertical opening located adjacent to the end thereof proximate to said transverse channel, and said body also having an opening in the bot tom of said transverse channel, means for supporting said runway body in inclined position with the end of the body having the transverse channel at a level lower than that of the opposite end of the body, a downwardly inclined chute into which an object falling through said first-named opening will be discharged, and a second chute into which an object falling through said second-named opening will be discharged.

2. A game apparatus comprising a runway consisting of a body having a relatively raised middle portion provided with a fiat upper surface and having channels extending along the sides of the raised middle portion and at one end of such raised middle portion, said. body having a vertical opening extending through said raised middle portion adjacent to the said one end of the latter and having also other openings through the bottom of the transverse channel at the said one end of the raised middle portion, a return chute into which said first named opening discharges, and a separate return chute into which the second-named openings discharge.

3. A game apparatus comprising a runway consisting of a body having a relatively raised middle portion provided with a flat upper surface and having channels extending along the sides of the raised middle portion and at one end of such raised middle portion, said body having a vertical opening extending through said raised middle portion adjacent to the said one end of the latter and having also other openings through the bottom of the transverse channel at the said one end of the raised middle portion, a return chute into which said first named opening discharges, a separate return chute into which the second-named openings discharge, and stops in the channels at the sides of the raised middle portion, said stops being adjacent to the ends thereof remote from said transverse channel and co-operating with the sides of the channels to provide receptacles.

i. A game apparatus comprising a runway consisting of a body having a relatively raised middle portion provided with a flat upper surface and having channels extending along the sides of the raised middle portion and at one end of such raised middle portion, said body having a vertical opening extending through said raised middle portion adjacent to the said one end of the latter and having also other openings through the bottom of the transverse channel at the said one end of the raised middle portion, a return chute into which said firstnamed opening discharges, a separate return chute into which the second-named openings discharge, and stops in the channels at the sides of the raised middle portion, said stops being adjacent to the ends thereof remote from said transverse channel and co-operating with the sides of the channels to provide receptacles, said relatively raised portion having a transverse starting line in line with said stops.

A game apparatus comprising a runway consisting of a body having an inclined relatively raised middle portion provided with a flat upper surface and having achannel extending along the sides and at the lower end of said middle portion, said body h aving a vertical opening through the raised middle portion adjacent to the lower end of the latter and having also an opening through the bottom of the channel at the lower end of the board, a chute into which said first-named opening discharges, a to raminous cover for the lower end portion of said runway body, said chute being closed at the free end thereof and having a lateral outlet opening, and a slidable closure for controlling said outlet opening.

CLARA A. HOWARD. JAMES H. HOWARD.

Gil 

